Ireland, an island nation located to the west of Great Britain, has a population of approximately 5 million, the majority of which is concentrated in urban areas such as Dublin and Cork. The country is marked by a rich topography of low-lying mountains surrounding a central plain, with several navigable rivers extending inland. This geographical layout presents both opportunities and challenges for the deployment of technologies and telecommunications infrastructure. Ireland boasts a robust telecommunications network, with high-speed broadband and mobile services widely available. The country has shown innovation in harnessing its abundant wind energy resources, and is a global leader in renewable energy technologies. In terms of technology, Ireland is home to many global tech companies, making it a key player in the European technology sector. Despite this, rural areas lag behind in terms of connectivity and renewable energy implementation, highlighting the ongoing disparity between urban and rural Ireland. As such, the technology and telecommunications sectors in Ireland can be considered a mix of mature and developing areas.
Mobile Network Operators
The are 3 companies operating mobile networks in this region.
Three Ireland, formally known as Three Ireland (Hutchison) Limited, is a telecommunications and internet service provider operating in Ireland. The company, which is a subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings, launched in July 2005. It provides a range of mobile phone services including 2G GSM, 3G UMTS, 4G LTE and 5G NR.
In June 2013, Three's former holding company, Hutchison Whampoa, acquired O2 Ireland. By March 2015, O2 Ireland was fully merged into the operations of Three Ireland. The company also admitted to overstating its subscriber numbers in 2010. As per the company's latest released mid...
Eir is the largest telecommunication service provider and third largest mobile network operator in Ireland. Historically the incumbent state-owned operator Bord Telecom Éireann, the company was founded in 1984. In 1999 the company was privatised and listed on the Irish and New York Stock Exchanges, and rebranded as Eircom. Eircell, the company's mobile arm, was sold off in 2001 to rival Vodafone. The company operated without a mobile division until its acquisition of Meteor Mobile Communications Limited (Meteor) in July 2005. The Meteor network had been operational in Ireland since 1998, and...
Vodafone Ireland Limited is a telecommunications company based in Ireland, established as a result of the Vodafone Group's acquisition of Eircell, the mobile division of Telecom Éireann. It operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Vodafone Group. The company provides a comprehensive suite of mobile phone network and broadband services. Vodafone Ireland's services cover 99% of the island of Ireland, making it a significant player in the Irish telecommunications market. The company launched its 4G network in October 2013 and has since expanded its technology offering to include 5G services...